Live Review: Slipknot & Trivum @ Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne

Review by Billy Geary

The short walk from Richmond Station to Rod Laver Arena saw a sea of fans heading to the arena, suggesting we were in for a near full house. However, upon arrival, it was slightly disappointing to find much of the upper sections of the arena possessing empty seats covered by curtains.

Opening up proceedings were Florida natives Trivium, given an entire hour to warm up punters before the main act. There was an obvious portion of the crowd that were every bit as big a fans of Trivium as they were of Slipknot, with plenty up close singing and screaming along word for word. As a band that has been around for quite a while now, it has been great to see Trivium develop into a really tight live act. Front man Matt Heafy was brilliant throughout, encouraging circle pits and roaming the stage, ensuring every single section of Rod Laver Arena was engaged with the music. As Trivium finish off their set, it it obvious that their brand of metalcore has quite successfully warmed up the hordes of already rabid fans.
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Trivium @ Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – 1st March 2012 | Photo Gallery

Photographer: KristaBella Photography

Photographer: KristaBella Photography

Acts: Trivium
Event: Soundwave Sideshow
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Date: 1st March 2012

** More SOUNDWAVE related articles and galleries here…
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Tour News: Florence And The Machine Australian Tour – May 2012

Fanning the flames of a fire started just under two years ago, Florence And The Machine are set to ignite stages across the country when they return to Australia in May 2012 for a national arena tour.

The tour kicks off in Perth at Burswood Dome on Thursday 17 May, then to Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Sunday 20 May, then a performance at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Tuesday 22 May. It’s then onwards north to play the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Thursday 24 May, followed by Brisbane’s Riverstage on Saturday 26 May, and then crossing the Tasman to finish things up in New Zealand with a show at Auckland’s Vector Arena on Monday 28 May.

Following on from the multi-million selling, multi-award winning, global smash of a debut album ‘Lungs,’ Florence The Machine first landed on Australian shores in January 2010 on the Laneway Festival bill; playing to stunned audiences over the course of the festival as well as her own headline club shows. Barely six months later, her ascension to stardom took a further leap when she returned to wow audiences on the main stage at Splendour In The Grass and sell out multiple theatre shows from Perth to Brisbane. So overwhelming was the demand that shows sold out in record timing and her stay in Australia was extended to allow additional shows not previously planned.
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Live Review | Devin Townsend Project, Meshuggah and Dredg @ The Forum Theatre, Melbourne – 29 February 2012

REVIEW by Billy Geary
As Melbourne’s Soundwave week continued into Wednesday night, it was time to head to the beautiful Forum Theatre for a taste of some of the most original music the massive line up had to offer.

As somewhat the black sheep of Wednesday night’s line-up, art rock band dredg more than held their own against the heavier headliners. After a few false starts in recent years, this was their first venture to Australia and quickly won over the predominantly metal focused crowd. Opening with two of their most well known songs in ‘Ode to the Sun’ and ‘Bug Eyes’ was a smart move, as the band commanded attention from the start. ‘Bug Eyes’ in particular got a great response, its chorus sounding majestic within the confines of The Forum.
Continue reading Live Review | Devin Townsend Project, Meshuggah and Dredg @ The Forum Theatre, Melbourne – 29 February 2012

The Jezabels Australian Tour – June 2012 | Tour News

It has been a bumper summer for The Jezabels with ARIA and APRA Award nominations and AIR Award wins for their ARIA #2, gold selling debut LP Prisoner, and record audiences at the Falls Festivals and Big Day Out shows nationally. They took home the gong for Album Of The Year at the 2011 Rolling Stone Awards, secured a number 10 position with their single Endless Summer in the triple j Hottest 100, and have been short listed for the AMP Award.

In 2012 they continue with their relentless schedule of international touring and will see the release of Prisoner in the US, UK, Europe, Asia and Canada after already playing sold out shows in those territories.
Continue reading The Jezabels Australian Tour – June 2012 | Tour News

Tour News: Amon Amarth ‘Surtur Rising’ Australian Tour 2012

‘Rockstar Productions’ in conjunction with ‘Riot! Entertainment’, ‘Metal Massacre.com.au’ and ‘Metal Obsession.net’ present the return to Australian shores of one of the most popular and charismatic acts of the genre; AMON AMARTH!

The ‘Guardians of Asgard’ are gracing our shores for the first time since their almost sold out national tour of Australia of 2009. Performing tracks of their latest chart busting album ‘Surtur Rising’ along with all the fan favourites, this tour has every indication that it will go the distance and perform to full houses in every venue. Well renowned to be one of the best live acts on the circuit, Amon Amarth never let their fans down and each show is nothing short of an adrenaline packed power punch to the solar plexus!
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The Beards Sell Out Melbourne Show, Another Added!!

It seems Melbourne has well and truly embraced Australia’s champions of all things facially hirsute The Beards with news that the Adelaide quartet have just sold out their show at The Corner Hotel on Friday the 16th of March. To cope with the demand and Melbourne’s obvious fondness for bearded men the band have just announced they have added a second Corner Hotel show on Thursday the 15th of March with tickets on sale now. All tickets to shows nationally are selling fast!

For a band that never expected to play more than one show, The Beards have certainly come a long, long way. Forming as a joke to play a single show in Adelaide, the entirely beard-based band have gone on to become underground legends of the Australian music scene. Since the release of their second album, Beards Beards Beards (2009), The Beards have spread their bearded message throughout Australia with constant touring and countless performances all over the country. Now, The Beards are hitting the road again, and bringing with them their much-anticipated third album, Having a Beard is the New Not Having a Beard which is out on March 9th through MGM.
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Enter Shikari, Letlive. @ Billboard The Venue, Melbourne – 28th February 2012 | Live Review

Review by Billy Geary
This time of year in Melbourne, there’s only one thing on anyone’s mind in terms of music – Soundwave. This week, Australia’s biggest travelling festival rolled into Melbourne, bringing with it a whole host of sidewaves before the big day on Friday. On Tuesday night at Billboard, it was English stalwarts Enter Shikari, bringing with them Letlive. and Your Demise.

I’m just going to start off by saying American hardcore quintet Letlive. are good. Really f###ing good. Having not seen much of them other than a few Youtube videos prior to the night, they absolutely blew away myself and everyone else in the room with their energy and conviction to their music. Vocalist Jason Butler is an absolute maniac, hurling himself into the crowd within 30 seconds of the start of their set and continuing in the same fashion throughout, all the while screaming and singing to perfection. If anything, the only negative of their set was the mix too often drowning out Butler’s vocals. However, this just gave the punters in the front row the chance to sing and scream along even louder. letlive’s set was an absolute master class in how hardcore punk should be done, combining emotion and energy with perfection.
Continue reading Enter Shikari, Letlive. @ Billboard The Venue, Melbourne – 28th February 2012 | Live Review

CALLING ALL CARS – “THE DELIRIUM TOUR” – April/May 2012

Rewind to August last year – CALLING ALL CARS released their second album, the ARIA charting “Dancing with a Dead Man”, and set off on a tour cycle around the country. Taking their triple j featured album to the masses on the back of national airplay and hot supporting cast that introduced Redcoats and Boy In A Box they played to sold out rooms and stamped themselves as one of Australia’s most incendiary, young, live rock bands.

Calling All Cars finished 2011 in a blaze of glory supporting their new best friends’ the Foo Fighters and being added to the East Coast run of The Big Day Out. After an unexpected blow to the jaw of lead vocalist Haydn Ing prematurely ended their Sydney BIG DAY OUT performance earlier this year Melbourne’s CALLING ALL CARS have bounced off the rock& roll canvas and are ready to rumble!
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